Don't let secular America steal Christianity's 'brand'

Brenda J. Verner is a nationally known media analyst on racial and women's issues, a former talk radio and cable television host and lecturer at scores of the nation's most prestigious universities. Describing herself as a life-long "Christmas" person, she wrote the books "Happy Birthday Jesus" and "101 Ways to Have a Christian Christmas," adopting the title of The Christian Christmas Lady. Her next book is entitled "101 Ways Christians Can Reclaim America."

Daily, we are inundated with brand names in practically every area of our lives: clothes, furniture, magazines, billboards, storefront windows, on neon signs, on restaurants and fast food venues, and on radio, television and in the movies. Brand names are everywhere, and they are important, particularly to the people who promote them and make money by use of them. Brand names are so important that they are legally protected by trademark registration with our government. Corporations and individuals sue other individuals or corporations for infringement upon their product names and logos. Brand name owners take every aspect related to the name of their product seriously.

The Bible also tells us the importance of a name: “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches” (Proverbs 22:1), and, “A good name is better than precious ointment” (Ecclesiastes 7:1).

The importance of a name is vested in the name that is above all other names – the most famous name in the universe: “For there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved – other than the name of Jesus”(Acts 4:12).

Of all the names given to brands, there is no name nor brand “under the heavens” more important than the name of Jesus. The recognition of His miraculous virgin birth is represented by the Nativity logo, and the celebration of the Nativity is the Christian cultural brand called Christmas. Jesus is the name, the Nativity the logo and Christmas the brand.

The Christmas brand is on products and activities that Christians have created over time in carrying out their Christmas rituals. They are byproducts of Christian people practicing their Christmas culture.

These are Christian creations that should be jealously guarded and vigorously protected, as integral to the workings of Christian culture.

They are not byproducts of “holiday.”

There is no such thing as “a secular Christmas.” Santa, Christmas trees, holly, poinsettias and so forth are all created by or adopted by Christians for us in the promotion of Christmas.

Christians should exercise cultural authority and not allow advertisers and media execs to hijack sacred Christmas music, customs, symbols and images in the name of so-called “inclusion,” nor allow them to profanely hawk their Christmas products.

Nor should Christians allow all things with the Christmas brand to be renamed “holiday.” These are Christian creations that should be jealously guarded and vigorously protected as integral to the workings of Christian culture and Christian rituals.

The western world, also known as Christendom, is saturated with the practice of regional Christmas Advent traditions. The countless products and services created and provided to meet the demands of Christians celebrating Christmas drives a huge economic engine that positively affects the economy of wherever it is enthusiastically observed.

In 2009, for example, more than 2,500 Christmas markets opened across Germany, producing 188,000 jobs, with estimated generated revenues between 3 billion and 5 billion euros. Munich officials estimated that the city’s Marienplatz market has pumped 175 billion
euros into their local economy.

America’s Christmas economy is an even bigger deal:

2007 Pre-Christmas sales: $566.3 billion (pre-recession)

2009 Pre-Christmas sales: $437 billion

2010 Pre-Christmas sales: $584.3 billion

These numbers verify that Christmas is a critical component of the American economy.
These numbers reveal that Christians are an incredibly powerful market that should
demand that manufacturers, advertisers, retailers and service providers respect the sacred nature of Christmas Advent and restrain themselves from turning it into salacious entertainment, or a retailer’s sideshow.

This week, as Christmas Day approaches, Christian families across the nation will embrace the exquisite beauty and awesome message that the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ brings. We shall worship our Emmanuel – our God with us. As Christians, in a land bountifully blessed by our Lord; we can know in our hearts that when we celebrate Jesus Christ, we are doing a good thing.

May the joy of the Lord shower down upon everyone this Christmas 2011. I, the Christian Christmas Lady, wish one and all the merriest Christmas possible and a prosperous New Year!